Hydraulic air-compressor.



PATENTE!) FEB. 2'5. 1908.

` R'. I. BLAKNEY.

HYDRAULIC AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLIGATION FILED AYE. 24.1907.

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ROBERT I. BLAKNEY, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

HYDRAULIC AIR-COMPRESSOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

Application filed April 24. 1907'. Serial No. 369.899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT I. BLAKNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Vashington, haveinvented a new and useful Hydraulic Air-Compressor, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the compression of air by the use of fallingwater. Heretofore it had been proposed to compress air in this way byallowing the water to pass down through a vertical pipe having openingsat the top to admit air. On account of the increase in the velocity ofthe falling water as it descends, air is drawn into the water andcarried down with it into a receptacle. This receptacle has usually beenlocated at the bottom of a well or the like, and the water dischargedpasses from the bottom ofthe receptacle into the well where it acts tocompress the air. Separated at the top of the receptacle the air can bedrawn ofl` and used for any of the purposes for which compressed air canbe employed. These devices have been theoretically operative and theycan be used in practice in some cases, but for ordinary use, the expensewas greater than for some other kinds of power plants, as they involvedsinking a shaft or well and all the parts were under water where theycould not be repaired. Moreover, there was no way of regulating the airpressure.

The principal objects of this invention are to carry out this principlein a practical and simple manner in such a way that the expense ofinstallation lwill be comparatively small, and the pressure of the aircan be regulated, or the air can be conveyed by the apparatussubstantially at atmospheric pressure; also to provide a construction inwhich all the parts will be more readily accessible,

l and to Yprovide for collecting` and saving any air that may be carriedout of the receptacle by the water which flows therefrom.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereafter. l

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing which shows a plantconstructed according to this invention in side elevation, parts beingin section.

As has been the case with the experimental plants which have beenreferred to, the water is taken from a head-race 10 through a verticaldownwardlyextending in-take 11 to a tank or receptacle 12. The iow ofWater down through the in-take 11 will, as in the .erably used inprevious devices proposed, draw air in through air inlet tubes 13.Heretofore the tubes extended up a short distance from the plate atwhich they left the in-take. In the present invention however, they arepreferably extended upwardly to a point above the level of the water inthe head-race, and they may extend directly through the head-race incases in which that is convenient. It will be seen therefore that theupper ends of these air inlet pipes being above the level of the Water,no water will flou(y from them under any conditions of operation. Theseair inlet pipes may be supplemented or re laced by additional air inlets14 which may e located anywhere along the in-take, and which extendhorizontally therefrom, or in any other desired direction. Each of theseinlets is provided with a check-valve 15, of the swinging type or of anyother desired construction, so that they will readily yield to permitair to enter when a vacuum is created in the pipe by the falling of thewater, but they will close if for any reason there is pressure enough toforce the water or air out through them. Either form of these tubes orinlets may be used to the exclusion of the other, but they areprefconjunction with each other. It will be seen that they both serve toadmit air, but will not under any conditions permit water to bedischarged through them, and that those having the check valves are moresuitable when they are to be placed far from top of the in-take.

The tank 12 is provided with a bottom 16 and a head 17, the bottom beingfixed to the walls of the tank by means of a ring 18 which is riveted tothe tank and bolted to the bottom so that the ,bottom may be removed ifdesired. Suitable packing 19 is preferably employed.. The head isriveted to the upper end of the tank and is provided With a passage 20.

Secured to the head adjacent to the passage 20 are a couple of castings22 into the upper of which the in-take pipe is secured. The lower one ofthese castings receives a pipe 23 which forms the discharge end of thein-take pipe. The in-take pi e terminates at a short distance above thelbottom of the tank and immediately below it is a conical breaker orseparator 24. The incoming water and air strikes the apex of the coneand this tends to separate the air from the water. This cone is spacedfrom the bottom of the tank so as to have passages 25 through which thewater canfflow. Immediately under the cone is an outlet pipe 26preferably fixed to the bottom in a manner similar to that described forthe in-take pipe. This outlet pipe is of greater diameter than thein-take 23, and is rovided with one or more valves through wiich thewater is discharged. The preferred form of valve is a pressureregulating valve 27 having a valve stem 28 provided with a lever 29which is adapted to hold the valve to its seat in any desired manner, asfor example by an adjustable weight 30. This weight may be adjusted sothat it will require any desired head of water or pressure contained inthe tank tol open it and allow it to be discharged; consequently, thiswill regulatel the pressure of air in the tank and act as a safety valveby. preventing the pressure getting above any desired point.

Preferably one or more additional globe valves 3l are employed adaptedto be opened or closed by hand so that when desired the water may beallowed to flow out without exerting any pressure on the air in thetank, so as to cause the air to be discharged at substantiallyatmospheric pressure. This is desirable, because it has been found thatWhileatmospheric air blown into a mine or any other closed space willserve to quickly remove smoke or gases, air under pressure will -not dothis efficiently.

Of course without the additional globe valve the valve 27 can bemanipulated for the same purpose, but by the use of such an additionalvalve it is not necessary to disturb the adjustment of theregulatingvalve,-

and it will be ready to operate at onoe when the additional globe valveis closed.

The air is drawn out of the tank in the ordinary way through a passage32, on the outside of which a casting 33 is secured in which an airoutlet pipe 34 is secured, as will be readily understood. This pipe isprovided with a valve 35 and leads to the compressed air tank or anyplace where the air is to be used.

It has been found that in the use of the apparatus some air, dependingupon the adliustment of the valve 27, will be carried out of the tank l2with the water. In order that this air may be saved and returned Vto theair outlet pipe, a by-pass 36 is connected with the water outlet pipe 26and extends upwardly therefrom. It is connected with the pi e 34, andthe air entering it will be carrie out with the air collected in thetank and discharged therefrom. A gage 37 may be applied to this pipe orin any other convenient place.

It will be observed that by the construction of the hydraulic aircompressor in accordance with this invention leakage of water throughthe pipes is avoided, eflicient means is provided for separating thewater and air,

and any air carried along with the water after its separation is,Withdrawn and brought back to the position in which it can be used.Moreover the pressure of the air can be regulated in a very efficientmanner, and vfree air at substantially atmospheric pressure can becarried through the device for the purpose of cleaning shafts anddrifts. Moreover the separating tank is constructed in a simple andinexpensive manner, and it can be lo.- cated where it can be readilyinspected and taken apart if desired to clean it or to repair it.Moreover a device constructed in this manner is not subject to anyappreciable amount of wear, and if the in-take pipe is protected fromthe entrance of stones and dirt it will not require frequent cleaning.

This device is especially useful for supplying air for use in mining,not only to` operate the machinery, but to clear the mines .and driftsofpowder-smoke and gases. However it is ofequal utility for many otherpurposes.

In some mining countries there are waterfalls having several hundredfeet fall, and the invention is especially useful in such cases. Forexample, if we have a fall of 500 ft. and wish to carry 100.y lbs. airpressure, approximately 230 ft. of hydrostatic head will be required toproduce this pressure. This leaves 270 ft. of fall in the in-take pipe.The only function this fall performs is to entrain and carry down theair, but if there is any pressure on the air in its descent it will becompressed. The proportion of course, changes with the depth. It will beobvious, therefore, that a pipe of any given diameter will handle alarge column of free air. It will be observed that the air is drawn inat different heights, and by the use of the check-valves or the pipesextendingA upwardly, the air may be drawn in at points all the way alongthe in-take pipe, consequently, a great deal more air can be compressedthan is the case with the devices heretofore proposed.

In order to utilize the power of the water discharged in some instances,I place a nozzle 40 on one ofthe discharge pipes and an impulse wheel 41at the end thereof. Thus a large percentage of the power of the watermaybe utilized. The nozzle may be placed on the pipe having theautomatic valve or on one of the other pipes.

While I have illustrated and described a particular form of theinvention, I am aware that many modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in theclaims. Therefore, I do not wish tol be limited to the particular formshown, but

What I do claim is 1. In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination ofa. head-race, a water in-take extending vertically downwardly therefrom,air inlet tubes from the upper part of said in-take eXtending above thelevel of the air in the head-race, additional air inlets below the iirstnamed inlet tubes, a check-valve in the additional inlets to allow airto enter and to prevent air or water being discharged through them, aseparating tank into which the open lower end of the water in-takedischarges, a breaker immediately below the discharge end of the in-takespaced from the bottom of the tank, a water outlet under the breaker,and an air outlet from the upper end of the separating tank.

2. In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a head-race, awater in-take eX- tending downwardly therefrom, air inlets in thein-take having means whereby air may be admitted but cannot bedischarged through them, a separating tank into which the open lower endof the water in-take discharges, a breaker below the discharge end ofthe iii-take, a water outlet at the bottom of the tank, and an airoutlet at the upper end of the tank.

3. ln a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a vertical waterin-take, air inlets extending therefrom at intervals alongl the same,and check-valves in each of said inlets to admit air and prevent theoutlet of water or air, and a separating tank into which the in-takedischarges having means for separating water and air.

1l. In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a head-race, awater iii-take extending downwardly therefrom air inlets in the in-takehaving means whereby air may be admitted but cannot be dischargedthrough them, a separating tank into which the open lower end of thewater in-take discharges, a breaker below the discharge end of theintake, a water outlet at the bottom oli' the tank, an air outlet at theupper end of the tank, and an adjustable valve in the water outletwhereby the pressure of water in the separating tank, and consequentlythe pressure of air, may be regulated.

5. ln a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a vertical waterin-take having means for admittingair, a separating tank into which saidin-take discharges, the bottom of the in-take being near the bottom ofthe tank, a separator or breaker immediately below the lower end of thein-take and spaced from the bottom of the tank, a discharge outlet fromthe tank located under said breaker, a safety valve communicating withsaid outlet and having means whereby the pressure at which it opens todischarge water from the tank may be regulated, whereby the pressure ofthe air in the separating tank will be regulated.

6.l In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a separating tank,means for discharging air and water into said tank, an outlet pipe forthe water, a regulating valve in the outlet pipe having means wherebythe pressure at which it will open may be regulated, and an additionalvalve communicating with said outlet pipe, whereby the water -may bedischarged without putting the air in the separating tank underpressure.

7. In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination or' a separating tank,means for discharging air and water into said tank, an outlet pipe forthe water, a safety or regulating valve in the4 outlet pipe having meanswhereby the pressure at which it will open may be regulated, anadditional valve communicating with said outlet pipe, whereby the watermay be discharged without putting thel air in the separating tank underpressure, an air outlet pipe from the upper part of said tank, and anair up-take or by-pass communicating with the water discharge pipe andwith the air outlet pipe.

8. In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a separating tank,a water outlet pipe from the bottom thereof, an. air outlet pipe fromthe top of the tank, and a by-pass or up-take communicating with theoutlet pipe at a point below the tank and adapted to discharge air intothe air outlet pipe.

9. In a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a separating tank,a water outlet pipe therefrom, an air outlet pipe therefrom, and a by-pass or up-take extending from the water outlet pipe upwardly andcommunieating with the air outlet pipe so as to discharge air into theair outlet pipe.

l0. ln a hydraulic air compressor, the combination of a separating tank,means for discharging air and water into said tank, an outlet pipe forthe water, a safety or regulating valve in said outlet pipe, anadditional valve communicating with the outlet pipe whereby the watermay be discharged without putting the air in the separating tank underpressure, means for collecting the air from the separating tank, anozzle on the outlet pipe, and an impulsewater wheel located adjacent tosaid nozzle to be operated by the water discharged therethrough.

ROBERT l. BLAKNEY.

Vitnesses:

JOHNy Y. EAsTERBRooK, F. M. BIRD.

